the problem with todays recording the engineers have so many options to change the tone and pitch of recordings you never know what sounds you are listening to in the final mix unadulterated or not,its impossible to judge unless you know that the recording is relayed through the process without someone dickin it to suit something else in the mix or obeying a producers latest whimm ,....

You're right there, I guess YouTube videos and live performances convey the actual tuning more faithfully than studio tracks, although they tend to be a bit more lofi. Guys like Dylan Elise do a good enough job that even through a crappy YouTube clip his toms still sing through.